Stephanie Haley

(15 comments, 154 posts)

Stephanie 'swoots' Wooten's first true obsession in life was the Baby-Sitter's Club but that was quickly thrown to the side once she discovered the X-Men and, more importantly, Rogue. She took a break during high school (where she tried to be 'cool' but realized that was no fun) and then got back into things in undergrad. She quickly consumed all things Neil Gaiman, Joss Whedon, and a good majority of Grant Morrison and Alan Moore's work. Amongst her more recent comic book interests are Mike Carey, Ed Brubaker, Brian Michael Bendis, etc.

In undergrad and grad school, Stephanie focused on television studies. She enjoys nothing more than the idea of delving into an entirely new, believable universe full of characters that you genuinely cared about as though they were real people. Amongst her favorite television shows are BSG, The X-Files, Dexter, Deadwood, Supernatural, Buffy (obviously), Firefly, The Avengers (1960s), and, of course, Doctor Who. The list could go on forever but basically it is a love for characters. These fictional worlds are what made her realize she is a nerd. For a long time she was on her own but now, thanks to the lovely folks at The Node, she has found a place where she can share the things she geeks out about on a daily basis.

Posts by Stephanie Haley

This is a follow-up post about how female geeks are making comic conventions their own in different ways. Obviously SDCC has been over for awhile, but there are still plenty of other conventions coming up this year (NYCC!) and these women can serve as inspirations for what can be done within geek and pop culture by individuals. In this post I talk with Jenn from justJENN Designs & Recipes. If you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting her table at SDCC or don’t follow her on twitter, you should!… but in the meantime the links to her websites are listed below.

Jenn has been blogging about her family’s adventures in Los Angeles for 10 years, creating unique family dinners and geeky baking for her food blog www.justjennrecipes.com. She recently launched www.homegeekonomics.com where she features crafters and creators, bringing the best of geek to home and everyday life. She was Her Universe’s fangirl of the day and her award winning recipes have been featured on StarWars.com, LATimes online, The Today Show blog and most recently the cover of Food Network Magazine.

A contributor for Geek Mom, King’s Hawaiian and First5LA, she also has been a guest panelist at San Diego Comic Con, WonderCon and Geek Girl Con.

1) First thing’s first, tell me about JustJenn Designs and JustJenn Recipes and your career in the geek world.

I started justJENN designs on the side when I was working at an architecture firm. I was working 60-80 hour weeks and while it was killing me I still wanted something that was all my own. So I thought an online business was a good idea because then I could just fill orders from home.Years later I had my kids and I was suddenly compelled to make sure they only ate healthy food and I wanted to make everything from scratch. I started creating recipes and putting them online so that I could access them at all times without dragging recipes with me or having to turn my computer on. Smart phones and my own website made keeping track of my recipes much easier.

Tardis Cookies

2) The combination of foodies and geek culture makes perfect sense and you do an amazing job combining the two. I love your Ultimate Star Wars party! Where did get your initial inspiration to combine the two?

Food and geek recipes came together again, because of my kids. As they grew up they started having fandom fascinations with things that I loved as well. Everything old was new again…to them! So Star Wars, Transformers all the things I grew up with and loved they were taking an interest in and I love the idea of encouraging fandom in kids. I think it opens them up to creative thinking. I decided to incorporate that into our meals just for fun. When I posted the party and recipes I didn’t think anything of it until I started getting a lot of adults saying how great it was and then I realized it wasn’t just me that loved all that geek culture reinterpreted, everyone wanted to recreate their childhood fandom in an updated way!

3) When was your first SDCC? Can you tell me a bit about your history with the convention (ie did you start off in Small Press or as an attendee, etc)?

My first SDCC was a long time ago as an attendee. I can’t even remember the year but I can tell you I got into Hall H easily if that means anything. Years later when I had the online stationery biz I thought, ‘how great would it be to be here as a fan, but also sell my creations to people as well?’ Small Press seemed like a good first step and I honestly haven’t moved from there in the past 6 years.

4) This year you were able to participate in the first major panel for foodies at SDCC, “A Feast For Your Eyes: Creativity In Comics and Cuisine.” What was that panel like? What were some of the highlights?

I was very excited to participate in the ‘food and comics’ panel since they are two things that I love and incorporate into my art as well. It was great to see a whole room filled with people who love those things too. Food and comics are very connected and we talked a lot about our inspiration and how we came into fields that we made uniquely our own through food.

The highlight of the panel for me was the other panelists! Everyone had unique food stories. I am a big fan of Food TV and watched both Brian Malarkey (@BrianMalarkey) and Justin Warner (@eatfellowhumans) on their shows. I have been ‘twitter friends’ with C.B. Cebulski for a long time and his posts about food and travels always make my day. I learned a lot from Amy Chu (@AmyChu) and Nacho Cervantes (@pizzaportbeer) about their inspirations. And I felt like Rosanna Pansino (@RosannaPansino) had a real geek girl connection, which is always cool when you meet someone who had the same interests as you and is a great person.

5) Do you think this panel signals the growth of foodie-related geekdom at SDCC? Other than the panel, what were some other geeky food-related fun stuff that you saw at SDCC this year (including your own activities)?

I think food and geekdom go hand in hand, both can be creative and inspirational. There is definitely a growth in this field, you can see it in the new food centric graphic novels that are coming out, but honestly it’s been around for a long time. As a kid I always felt connected to the comics I read that featured families cooking, or food somewhere in the comic. It made it relative and made me happy. I think that’s why food tv and food graphic novels are so popular now, because people like that familiar connection that food gives them.

Hello Kitty Oreos

6) I know you recently published a Mochi cookbook. I just got my copy and I’m really excited to try making some! What are some future projects you have coming up?

The mochi cookbook was fun because it updated old traditional recipes that didn’t think it was possible to modernize. My comic cookbook that I drew about my Grandma’s family recipes is still popular and I would like to do another one of those and delve into more of our family recipes, with humor of course.

7) Finally, silly question. I know you’re a huge Wolverine fan. If you had unlimited resources and were hired to throw a surprise party for Wolvie himself, what would some of the dishes be?

If could throw a Wolverine party I would make a lot of things on skewers and probably incorporate Canadian Bacon and Maple syrup to give props to his homeland. Basically whatever you ate would make you live forever, obvs.

A HERO WILL RISE WHEN

Man of Steel

ARRIVES ONTO BLU-RAY 3D COMBO PACK,

WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Blu-ray Combo Packs include nearly 4 hours of special features

All disc versions feature UltraViolet

Burbank, CA, August 19, 2013 – The fate of mankind is in the hands of one man when “Man of Steel” arrives onto Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD 2-disc Special Edition, 3D Limited Collector’s Edition and Digital Download on November 12 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. In “Man of Steel,” Clark Kent is forced to confront his extraterrestrial past and embrace his hidden powers when Earth is threatened with destruction.

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures comes “Man of Steel,” starring Henry Cavill in the role of Clark Kent/Kal-El under the direction of Zack Snyder.

“Man of Steel” is produced by Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas and Deborah Snyder. The screenplay was written by David S. Goyer from a story by Goyer & Nolan, based upon Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster and published by DC Entertainment. Thomas Tull, Lloyd Phillips and Jon Peters served as executive producers.

“Man of Steel” will be available on Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack for $44.95, on Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99, on DVD 2-disc Special Edition for $28.98, and as a 3D Limited Collector’s Edition for $59.99. The Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in 3D hi-definition, hi-definition and standard definition; the Blu-ray Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in hi-definition and standard definition; the DVD 2-disc Special Edition features the theatrical version in standard definition; and the 3D Limited Collector’s Edition features the theatrical version of the film in 3D hi-definition, hi-definition and standard definition, and also includes a limited release metal “S” glyph with lucite glass stand. The Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD 2-disc Special Edition and 3D Limited Collector’s Edition include UltraViolet* which allows consumers to download and instantly stream the standard definition theatrical version of the film to a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players.

SYNOPSIS

A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.

· Journey of Discovery: Creating “Man of Steel” – This immersive feature-length experience allows you to watch the movie with director Zack Snyder and stars Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Diane Lane and others as they share the incredible journey to re-imagine Superman.

· Strong Characters, Legendary Roles – Explore the legendary characters of the Superman mythology and how they have evolved in this new iteration of the Superman story.

· All-Out Action – Go inside the intense training regimen that sculpted Henry Cavill into the Man of Steel and Michael Shannon and Antje Traue into his Kyptonian nemeses. Includes interviews with cast and crew.

· Krypton Decoded – Dylan Sprayberry (Clark Kent, age 13) gives the lowdown on all the amazing Krypton tech, weapons and spaceships featured in “Man of Steel.”

· Planet Krypton – The world’s first exploration of Krypton and its lost society.

“Man of Steel” DVD 2-disc Special Edition contains the following special features:

San Diego Comic Con International 2013 has been over for a few weeks now. Attendees have finally recuperated from the chaos and excitement that is SDCC. As exhausting and chaotic as the pop culture convention is, the experience is also an extremely rewarding one for many. One of my favorite aspects of SDCC is the sense that not only are you part of a massive geek/nerd community, but you can also create your own world within that community. Whether you love steampunk cosplay or consider yourself the ultimate TV geek, there are different experiences for any fan at SDCC, you just have to make it. This is the first post in what I hope to be a couple of interviews with women who helped create their own personalized mini-universe within the zeitgeist that is SDCC.

Dina as Steampunk Malificent at WonderCon 2013

Lady Steam (aka Dina Kampmeyer) is a co-founder of the League of Extraordinary Ladies and a self-described steampunk aficionado. This year Dina moderated two panels on steampunk at SDCC, The Witty Women of Steampunk and Steampunk 101, in addition to cosplaying as a steampunk Luke Skywalker. If you are interested in hearing more about Dina’s involvement with the League of Extraordinary Ladies, you can read her thoughts in a previous interview NiB had with her (and other LxLers).

1) How did you first get interested/involved in steampunk?

Dina Kampmeyer (DK): I started dating someone that was a steampunk and I had absolutely no idea what it is, but I was instantly drawn to the aesthetic. I jumped in with both feet and wanted to meet other people in LA that were into the same thing. The community was a bit disorganized, so I started volunteering my time to start planning occasional events and moderate the two FB pages that were already up and running.

2) What was your first steampunk costume?

DK: It was a pseudo-military look. I bought this great jacket online and went crazy modifying it. I cut off the sleeves, laced up the sides and added a ton of trim, buttons, epilets, etc. Then I added a bunch of ruching to this old skirt I had from college. Added a straw hat from the Renaissance Faire and boom, (not so) instant steampunk.

3) One thing I particularly love about SDCC is the feeling of belonging while at the same time creating your own reality/dream. Steampunk seems to fit into this idea perfectly. Why do you think steampunk has gained so much interest/traction at SDCC and other conventions?

DK: I think there are a lot of reasons why steampunk has become so popular in general, but in terms of conventions, I would say people just love the aesthetic. It’s so playful and it really allows costumers and cosplays a degree of freedom that they don’t usually have in other areas. Most cosplayers are looking to recreate an exact costume, but with steampunk, you don’t do that. You’re not dressing up as someone else’s character (in general), but rather creating a brand-new work of art. I think more people are getting into the genre now through this new trend of steampunking out existing pop culture characters. This is an easier way for them to explore steampunk while working with an existing product, but with an amazing degree of
creativity and freedom.

Steampunk Star Wars at SDCC 2013

4) What kind of advice can you give someone who is looking to create their first steampunk cosplay costume?

DK: Try not to be intimidated. I hear so many people who are interested in steampunk worry that they don’t have the “right”
clothing or accessories. There is very little right and wrong in steampunk and we LOVE to help out new people, give them advice and heck, even loan them clothes. Come to steampunk events even if you’re just starting out, take a look at outfits that you like, and ask people how they created things. Go to local thriftshops and try and use your imagination. You’ll be surprised at how much you can create with an old dress and a sewing machine (or some safety pins and tape if you don’t sew).

5) You recently moderated a panel at SDCC called “The Witty Women of Steampunk.” Can you give a general synopsis of the panel for those who were unable to attend SDCC (or the panel)? What was your favorite moment of the panel?

DK: I was very lucky to have this panel accepted by the lovely folks at SDCC for the 2nd year in a row. Basically, I put together an incredible group of female creators and just let them talk about why they love steampunk and what about the genre appeals to them as a creator. We talked comics, alternate history, video games, costuming, multiculturalism and more.

6) Why “Witty Women” of Steampunk?

DK: Part of what is so appealing about steampunk is a return to the Victorian ideals of the pursuit of knowledge and civility. People were very interested in improving both themselves and the world around them. I think we all long to return to a time when wit was a prized possession and my panelists all fit that bill.

Steampunk 101 Panelists

7) You also moderated a panel entitled, “Steampunk 101.” Based on discussions at that panel (and of course your own thoughts), what do see for the future of steampunk in popular culture?

DK: Excellent question. The popularity of steampunk has positively exploded over the past couple of years and we expect to see more and more of it in popular culture. It’s been huge amongst the convention crowd for a long time, but Hollywood is slowly starting to take notice. Fox just gleenlit a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen TV-pilot, so we’ll see if we finally get a big steampunk series. There has yet to be a big steampunk movie and the panelists (and audience) were all interested in seeing one. Steampunk-literature is popping up all over the NY Times bestseller chart, so I think it’s only a matter of time before we see a big film coming out. Until then, we can keep ourselves occupied with all the fantastic literature and webseries that have directly explored the genre.

8) This year you cosplayed as Steampunk Luke Skywalker. What prompted you to do a gender-swap steampunk cosplay?

DK: Well, I have wanted to do a steampunk Star Wars group for several years and I finally managed to do it. I always intended to be R2D2, but time snuck up on me and we were missing a Luke from our core group, so I thought, why not? He was quite a challenge to find a way to make him distinctive since his outfit isn’t that unique and I was already going to confuse people by crossplaying. I hope that I succeeded and we’ll be building up this group for future conventions and adding some new characters.

Photo by Mike Rollerson

Chrissy Lynn is a CA native who began costuming at a very young age. With a major interest in comics and scifi growing up she attended her first comic convention in 2004. She’s always had a passion for the arts; be it charcoal, make-up, costume design or music. She’s used her talents and skills to help fundraise for many non-profit charity organizations and enjoys cosplaying, especially her signature cosplay, Catwoman. Since her first Cosplay at Comicon in 2010 she’s been involved in 6 Cosplay groups, two of which she organized including the DC Steampunk group which debuted at SDCC in 2012. She was introduced to Steampunk in 2007, being a fan of HG Wells, Jules Verne and other scifi authors during the turn of the century she adopted the Victorian science fiction motif and made it apart of her daily style and Cosplay medium of choice. This year at San Diego Comicon she was invited by a good friend to join a Steampunk Star Wars group which turned out to be a hit and will be back at this year’s Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo.

1) Your DC Steampunk cosplay group is amazing! How did that come together?

Chrissy Lynn (CL): It all started with having a passion for both the DC Comics universe and Steampunk Culture. I simply started piecing together the idea shortly after Comicon 2011 and thats when I called upon my very good friend Johnny Bias (Steampunk Riddler), from there we reached out to our close friends who we knew would be interested,and could all work together to make these costumes cohesive and photograph well. We all have a hand in something on everyone’s costumes, it’s a team effort that has grown into a family, some cosplayers retire their character and are replaced with other awesome cosplayers. I couldn’t be more proud of this group, we all did this together.

SDCC 2012 DC Steampunk Group – Photo by Mike Rollerson

2) Did you all work together on your costumes? If so, which costume did you find the most challenging to put together?

CL: We all came from different skill sets, some of us are tailors and seamstresses, leather workers and some of us are FX and prop fabricators, or geniuses with industrial glue guns. So far what characters you haven’t seen in the group yet are our most challenging. But I’d say, my occasional challenge is doing our Two Face’s makeup because he is unfortunately allergic to latex, so next time I may need to work with silicone!

3) If you had unlimited resources, what would be your ultimate steampunk cosplay (group or individual)?

CL: I’ve been in talks with several individuals who want to do Disney Steampunk, I was honored to recently be a part of this year’s Star Wars Steampunk group with Dina, and I have to say I’d stick with the DC group, only make it BIGGER. 😉 However I wouldn’t mind doing a Steampunk X-men group, just sayin’!

4) Any advice to anyone else trying to put together a cosplay group (steampunk or otherwise) for a convention?

CL: YouTube is filled to the brim on HOW-TO’s and DIY videos, if you are a visual learner check those out, otherwise do what we all have done, trial and error. If I knew 5 years ago what I know now with today’s skill set I would have made ALL the things, at least better. But like any other trade it can take years to master, you don’t always need a sewing machine or unlimited funds, I have a gift for deconstructing pre-existing materials into other objects to fit my cosplay needs. So I encourage everyone to try and remember cosplay is just that, it’s costume play, so play and have fun no matter what!

Espionage Cosmetics launches premier

Nail-Art Line via Kickstarter

You’ve seen the Espionage Cosmetics team at every con you’ve attended in the last 3 years. You’ve played with the tiny Jayne hats that top the Browncoats collection, and you’ve squeed over the facebook pics of Bonnie Burton and Felicia Day with the shadows as you sign up for giveaways hosted by your favorite bloggers. Here’s what’s next from your favorite purveyors of geek-chic cosmetics…NAILED IT! On August 5, 2013, Espionage Cosmetics—the makers of hugely popular mineral make-up by and for nerds—launched a 30-day Kickstarter campaign (www.EspionageCosmetics.com/Kickstarter) for their latest product line, “NAILED IT!,” the world’s first nail-art line designed exclusively for nerds and lovers of all things glitter. 8 nerd-inspired designs are printed on high-quality, self-adhesive nail wraps that can be filed to a custom fit, with the potential to unlock up to 24 nerd-tastic designs. According to Espionage Cosmetics representatives, NAILED IT! is designed for “those of us who don’t have the time or talent to make our nails look like a Pinterest board.”

NAILED IT! is designed with you and your crazy eclectic, nerdy interests in mind. How about these gems: Cthulhu-inspired glitter tentacle wraps; turtle nails with glitter masks and googly eyes (googly eyes!); zombie nails dripping with glitter blood… and that’s just the first level of products available for pre-order on the Kickstarter.

Not just another Kickstarter. Espionage representatives say, “We know everyone is so tired of hearing about Kickstarter. That’s why we’re using this like a pre-order. Instead of rewards, you get the actual product, and help to fund the line for other customers.” Espionage Cosmetics is aiming for a goal of $20,000 in pre-orders with an “unlock achievement” feature, where sales past the goal unlock bigger rewards for all subscribers. As soon as the first achievement is unlocked, everyone who has ordered product at or above $100 automatically gets more nail-art—for free!—in their cart.

After the Kickstarter, for those who can’t make it to Espionage Cosmetics table at a convention, your best bet is to head over to ThinkGeek.com… they’ll be carrying the entire line in fall 2013.

The NAILED IT! Kickstarter includes products and rewards at every price point, from $15 to $10,000 and several points in-between. What does that get you? Some examples: $15 for a single nail-art set; $200 for a grab bag of Espionage Cosmetics products valued at $300; at $10,000 you can “Get Espionage’d.” At that level, you’re invited into Espionage Cosmetics design studios where the creative team (whose work has been published in Rolling Stone and other big-name publications) will design and shoot a photo concept for you, including professional wardrobe, hair, make-up, and graphic design. “This offer is ideal for people who are rebranding an existing product, getting started with a new business, or for anyone who just wants to live out an ultimate cosplay or fantasy photo-shoot experience.

Nerd-inspired designs, you say? Other NAILED IT! designs to look forward to include: Cats (“the Internet on your nails,” in high-quality photo format), chain mail, circuit boards, and full sets of glitter nails in versatile colors specifically designed for cosplayers (Black Widow? Wonder Woman? Covered). Espionage reps say they’re especially excited about the Nebula Nails set: wraps bursting with neon cloud
swirls and black holes. “You can find galaxy designs all over Pinterest and the Internet, but none of them are real, existing nebulas. We’re nerds and we like accuracy, so we scoured the night sky for the prettiest, coolest nebulas.”

Espionage Cosmetics: All girl, all nerd, all amazing. Espionage Cosmetics is a small, woman-owned business based in Tacoma, Washington, creating make-up for nerds, by nerds. “We’re a niche make-up company,” say Espionage representatives. “We have other things going on besides the perfect eyeliner. You’ll see us where we hang out, where our customers hang out. We’re at comic book stores and conventions.” …with the perfect glitter eyeliner, of course. Like you have to ask.

Founded in 2011, the company has seen enormous growth in their niche nerd market. In the last year alone, Espionage Cosmetics has expanded from a living-room operation to a Tacoma-based studio space with 3 fulltime women employees. Bi-monthly product launches and fully produced ad campaigns pour out of the studio manned by a full-time wardrobe master/cosplay expert, an interns and conventions coordinator, and the CEO/artistic director/marketing coordinator (her business card says Glitter Jedi).

NAILED IT! nail art is the latest Espionage Cosmetics product line, joining the newly released lip-gloss lines and the Espionage staple, “Everything Shadow,” a large range of mineral make-up colors that can all be used for 17 different cosmetic uses and counting. Everything Shadow has been featured on the Geeky Hostess, Fashionably Geek, and by popular youtube stars. Espionage also continues to draw clientele from high-profile Nerd Celebrities, including Bonnie Burton, Felicia Day, Chloe Dykstra from Heroes of Cosplay on Sci-Fi
network, and Ashly Burch (the voice of Tiny Tina on Borderlands 2).

Last words? Kickstarter pre-orders will be delivered in December 2013.

August 6, 2013 (Los Angeles) – Award-winning graphic novel publisher Archaia Entertainment, an imprint of BOOM! Studios, is proud to announce that the first printing of The Thrilling Adventure Hour (TAH) graphic novel is sold out at the distributor level. In fact, the title was marked “out of stock” three weeks before it was set to debut in comic book shops on August 7.

“We are the good kinds of sellouts? Thank you to the Adventurekateers for your support—you knock us out,” beamed Ben Acker and Ben Blacker, the creators and writers of TAH. “We know you’ll love this book!”

The Thrilling Adventure Hour ($19.95, hardcover, 136 pages, full color, 7.25” x 11.25”, ISBN: 978-1-936393-28-2) is an anthology collection of original genre tales based on segments included in the highly popular stage show and podcast of the same name. The TAH (thrillingadventurehour.com) live performance harkens back to the heyday of old-time radio entertainment, with well-dressed actors (known as the WorkJuice Players), scripts in hands, voice-acting their roles in front a live audience. The performance is recorded and later uploaded as part of the Nerdist Channel family of podcasts. The WorkJuice Players include Paul F. Tompkins, Paget Brewster, Autumn Reeser, Marc Evan Jackson, Mark Gagliardi, Craig Cackowski, Hal Lublin, and more. They are often joined by stars of film and TV who make cameo appearances, including Nathan Fillion, Molly Quinn, and Jason Ritter.

In 2012, Acker and Blacker ran a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to pay for the artists for the graphic novel and wound up raising almost four times what they had initially asked for. All the funds were used to pay for the creative and the stretch goals associated with the campaign. None of the money was used to pay for the production of the book.

Copies of TAH are available at your local comic book shop now, and will be available in book stores and other mass market outlets on August 20. Not sure where to find your nearest comic retailer? Use comicshoplocator.com or findacomicshop.com to find one! If you are unable to find a copy, Archaia and BOOM! have rushed TAH back for a second printing and will have more available by the time of New York Comic Con (October 10-13, 2013 at the Javits Center in New York City).

About Archaia Entertainment

Archaia (archaia.com) is a multi-award-winning graphic novel publisher with more than 75 renowned publishing brands, including such domestic and international hits as Mouse Guard, Rust, Cow Boy, Cursed Pirate Girl, Gunnerkrigg Court, and Artesia. Archaia has also published an entire line of graphic novels in partnership with The Jim Henson Company, including the multiple award-winning Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand and such beloved tales as The Dark Crystal, The Storyteller, and Fraggle Rock. In addition to its partnership with Henson, Archaia has forged creative partnerships with storytellers in all facets of the entertainment industry, resulting in print and digital expansions of such noted properties as Bleedout and HAWKEN (video games), Immortals and Planet of the Apes (film), and Space: 1999 (television). Alongside these celebrated titles, Archaia has released English translations of numerous renowned foreign titles to much fanfare, including The Killer, Sergio Toppi’s Sharaz-De, and The Secret History. In June 2013, Archaia was acquired by BOOM! Studios. Founded by Ross Richie in 2005, Diamond Gem Award-winning “Best Publisher” BOOM! Studios generates a constellation of best-selling Eisner and Harvey Award-winning original and licensed comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent.

After acquiring Archaia in June, BOOM! Studios prioritizes getting several of the publisher’s titles back into stores

July 31, 2013 (Los Angeles, CA) – Award-winning publisher Archaia Entertainment has announced that four of its sold-out backlist titles are now or will soon be back in print, ready for fans that missed out the first time to grab their copies! The Eisner Award-winning New York Times bestseller Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard Vol. 1 was back in stock as of July 17, and sleeper hits Cursed Pirate Girl (a 2013 Harvey Award nominee) and Iron: Or, the War After were back in print as of July 24, so be sure to ask your local comic shop to order them for you! In addition, copies of the Eisner Award-winning Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand will be back for sale in comic book shops as of Sept. 11. The reprints come on the heels of Archaia’s acquisition by BOOM! Studios in June.

“One of our first priorities after acquiring Archaia was to get some of their most popular titles back into the marketplace,” said Filip Sablik, VP of Marketing and Publishing for BOOM! Studios. “These four books are the first of many more Archaia reprints to come.”

Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard Vol. 1 ($19.95, hardcover, 144 pages, full color, 8” x 8”, ISBN: 978-1-932386-94-3) is a collectionof short stories set in the world of David Petersen’s bestselling Mouse Guard series, with each story written and illustrated by creators he hand-picked himself, including Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl), Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise), and Ted Naifeh (Courtney Crumrin). Cursed Pirate Girl ($24.95, hardcover, 152 pages, black and white, 6.625” x 10.25”, ISBN: 978-1-936393-60-2) is a whimsical, swashbuckling tale of a young girl who sets out to find her lost father, illustrated with the most excruciating detail by Bastian that it has to be seen to be believed. Illustrated in beautiful watercolor, Iron: Or, the War After ($24.95, hardcover, 152 pages, full color, 6” x 9”, ISBN: 978-1-936393-28-2) is the critically acclaimed, anthropomorphic story of the rabbit Hardin, an intelligence spy for The Resistance, who steals secret documents that sets off a chain of events that will change the status quo. Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand ($29.95, hardcover, 152 pages, full color, 8.25” x 11.5”, ISBN: 978-1-936393-09-1), which won the 2012 Eisner Award for Best New Graphic Album, is based on an unproduced screenplay by Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl and gorgeously illustrated by Ramón Pérez (Wolverine & The X-Men).

Archaia titles are available for sale at comic book shops (go to comicshoplocator.com to find the location nearest you) and wherever books are sold.

About Archaia Entertainment

Archaia (archaia.com) is a multi-award-winning graphic novel publisher with more than 75 renowned publishing brands, including such domestic and international hits as Mouse Guard, Rust, Cow Boy, Cursed Pirate Girl, Gunnerkrigg Court, and Artesia. Archaia has also published an entire line of graphic novels in partnership with The Jim Henson Company, including the multiple award-winning Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand and such beloved tales as The Dark Crystal, The Storyteller, and Fraggle Rock. In addition to its partnership with Henson, Archaia has forged creative partnerships with storytellers in all facets of the entertainment industry, resulting in print and digital expansions of such noted properties as Bleedout and HAWKEN (video games); Immortals and Planet of the Apes (film); and Space: 1999 (television). Alongside these celebrated titles, Archaia has released English translations of numerous renownedforeign titles to much fanfare, including The Killer, Sergio Toppi’s Sharaz-De, and The Secret History. In June 2013, Archaia was acquired by BOOM! Studios (boom-studios.com). Founded by Ross Richie in 2005, Diamond Gem Award-winning “Best Publisher” BOOM! Studios generates a constellation of best-selling Eisner and Harvey Award-winning original and licensed comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent.

This week marked the release of the second issue of a new series from Image Comics, Lazarus, by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark, & Santi Arcas. Lazarus takes place in a future where there are no more political or geographical nations, but rather nations built around wealth and “Family.” Each Family has a certain number of workers who provide them with basic labor. These people are called “Serfs.” All other people (ie the majority of the human population on Earth) are considered “Waste.” In addition, each Family choses one child to serve as their “lazarus,” a soldier that protects and fights for the Family. This super-soldier is given the absolute best that science and technology has to offer.

The first issue sets the basic groundwork for the story and the main character, Forever, the “Lazarus” of the Carlyle family. After an incident on the Carlyle farm involving an invasion from another Family (Morray), Malcolm Carlyle summons all of his children, including Forever, to the family estate in order to determine the next course of action. That is where Issue #2 picks up.

As always, Greg Rucka delivers in a big way. The first issue is mostly set-up so the majority of the character development is focused on Forever. She is, as one would expect, more than just a killing machine. She feels regret and remorse, emotions that other members of the Carlyle family would clearly prefer their Lazarus not to feel. I loved the additional development of other characters in the second issue, especially Malcolm Carlyle. I cannot wait to see where Rucka takes Forever and her relationships with her family members.

I also love the idea behind the story. Rucka does not go into too much detail in the first issue as to how society broke down from nations designated by geography/politics to nations designated by wealth/Families. I don’t think he needs to right away. Honestly, this is not a future that is too difficult to envision, especially given a post-apocalyptic type environment (it is revealed in the second issue that Los Angeles was mostly destroyed in an earthquake). In his epilogue at the end of the first issue, Rucka states that the idea for this series was partially inspired by the Occupy Movement and the general state of the global economy. He then proceeds to detail all of the research on economics and science that he put together before May 2013 (when he wrote the epilogue). As Rucka states, “It’s not news to say that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. What is news is just how stark that divide has become, and how much deeper and wider it looks to grow.” Keeping this statement in mind, I think it is fascinating to explore a world in which this divide has grown so vast that the majority of humanity is viewed as “waste” with only the extremely wealthy controlling food, power, etc. While the subject matter is extremely dark, I am very excited to see whatever glimmers of hope (if there are any) that may be revealed within this bleak future that Rucka and Lark envision.

Furthermore, the art in Lazarus is gorgeous. Lazarus reunites Rucka with Michael Lark. The two previously worked together on Gotham Central (another amazing series that everyone should check out at some point, especially fans of Batman stories). Lark’s art is realistic and detailed without losing the feel of comic book art. Perhaps one of the characteristics I love most about his illustrations are the eyes of his characters. The story moves so quickly it might be easy to miss on the first read-through, but try to look at the eyes of the characters in each panel. They oftentimes say more than whatever is written in the word balloons.

Only two issues in and I am hooked. I highly recommend this series to anyone who is a fan of strong female characters and post-apocalyptic story lines. If you have not read any books by Greg Rucka yet, Lazarus is a perfect place to start.

Blacksad: A Silent Hell, by Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido. A 2011 Eisner and Harvey Award winner, the first Blacksad collection is already in its sixth printing and approaching 20,000 copies sold! Detective John Blacksad returns, with a new case that takes him to a 1950s New Orleans filled with hot jazz and cold-blooded murder!

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)

Juanjo Guarnido, Blacksad. The hardcover collection features an extensive making-of section, with tons of preliminary sketches and watercolor studies.

Bandette, by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover. A costumed teen burglar by the nome d’arte of Bandette and her group of street urchins find equal fun in both skirting and aiding the law. The hardcover collection features guest art by Steve Lieber, Jonathan Case, Alberto J. Alburquerque, and Jennifer Meyer and will be released on November 6.

Congratulations to all winners and nominees!

Named for acclaimed comics creator Will Eisner, the Eisner Awards are in their twenty-fifth year of highlighting the best publications and creators in comics and graphic novels.

July 17th at 8:30pm – The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail
Jonah Ray and Kumail Nanjiani helm the good ship Meltdown every single Wednesday, to host the show that’s been named one of the best live shows in LA by LA Weekly, Splitsider, and more. At The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail, you’ll see some of the biggest comics, up and coming acts just before they get famous, and as always, surprise drop-ins that will knock your socks off. This week, Jonah and Kumail welcome: Andres Du Bouchet, Hampton Yount, Nate Fernald, Greg Fitzsimmons, Dan Levy, The Sklar Brothers…and the continued Jeselnik Residency!$8.

Image courtesy of NerdMeltLA.com

July 19th at 7pm – The Mo Show with Mo WelchThe Mo Show is an hour long evening chat show packed with stand up comedy, guests and videos all hosted by Mo Welch! Stand Up from: Aparna Nancherla (FX’s Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell) & Sean Patton (Comedy Central Half Hour, Conan, Jimmy Fallon). Plus special Guest: Tom Wilson (Back to the Future, Freaks and Geeks).
Sidekicked by Jet Eveleth and Ricky Carmona (MaxFun’s Wham Bam Pow!) and music by Alex Burke!

, $10 at the door.

Image Courtesy of NerdMeltLA.com

July 19th at 9pm – HELLOGIGGLES presents After DarkHelloGiggles.com is once again bringing their unique, quirky web presence to the stage with HELLOGIGGLES: AFTER DARK at the Nerdmelt Showroom. Where things go from PG-13 to Rated D for Dark. Come see your favorite comedians doing what they do best- stand up, sketch, characters… anything. LITERALLY ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN! With Melinda Hill, Dress up Gang, Sean O’Conner, Neal Brennan, Barbara Gray, Gilli Nissim, Kristen Studard, and your host MELISSA STEPHENS!

, $10 at the door.

Image Courtesy of NerdMeltLA.com

July 20th at 7pm – Prompter
Troy Conrad‘s newest creation! Comics use a teleprompter to deliver a TED Talk-style presentation. When the teleprompter unexpectedly freezes, the performer must rely on their ability to improvise and continue their talk on the absurd subject until the prompter comes back on. How much fun can comics have with a supposedly “broken” teleprompter? Featuring presentations by Jake Johannsen, Cathy Ladman, Jon Daly, Henry Phillips, and Harland Williams. Plus Special Guest!

Come watch Matt Mira and Kyle Clark host this comedy free-for-all. You’ll see brand new comics, comics you know and love trying out new material (Chris Hardwick and Kumail Nanjiani are frequent drop ins), and the magic that is live comedy.Free.

Image Courtesy of NerdMeltLA.com

July 23rd at 8pm – Bobcat Goldthwait presents “Willow Creek”
Bobcat Goldthwait brings his new horror flick “WILLOW CREEK” back to NerdMelt for second chance to catch an exclusive screening of the film plus a Q&A with Bobcat himself. Get your tickets today. The first screening sold out fast! Despite warnings from the locals, Jim and his girlfriend Kelly venture into Bigfoot country to retrace the steps of famous researchers Patterson and Gimlin with hopes of capturing their own footage.

Written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait. Starring Alexie Gilmore and Bryce Johnson.

July 16th, 2013 – Los Angeles, CA – Award-winning publisher Archaia Entertainment and actress/producer Alyssa Milano (Charmed, Mistresses) are proud to announce Hacktivist, a hardcover, original graphic novel that explores the modern world of hacking and global activism. Inspired by current events from around the world and Milano’s own philanthropic endeavors, Hacktivistis a fast-paced cyber-thriller about friendship and freedom in a time of war. The story follows Ed Hiccox and Nate Graft, the young founders of the world’s most innovative social media company who moonlight secretly as one of the most notorious black-hat hacker teams on the planet. When the U.S. government discovers their operation, they must face the real world beyond the code and choose between loyalty and what they believe to be is right.

“I’m very involved with in global activism and philanthropy. I like the idea of everyday people doing good,” explained Milano. “My inspiration for Hacktivist is actually Jack Dorsey, the creator of Twitter and Square. I picture him leaving the office at night and going home, where he locks himself in his room and starts hacking to change the world.

“I felt Hacktivist was a strong story that I really wanted to tell visually,” Milano expressed. “Doing a graphic novel allowed me to dream big and it gave me the freedom to create without boundaries.”

“Hacktivist is literally ripped from headlines,” said Archaia VP of Development Stephen Christy. “It’s a story focusing on the benefit and consequences of our increasingly connected world. To be able to bring Alyssa Milano into the world of comics is very exciting for all of us at Archaia, and by teaming her with Marcus To and Ian Herring fresh off of their brilliant work on Cyborg 009, we’ve built a comic that will hopefully connect with and inspire people all over the world.”

Hacktivist will debut digitally in Fall 2013, followed by the hardcover print release in Summer 2014. A Hacktivist Ashcan comic, limited to 500 copies and containing exclusive preview content, original concept art from Marcus To and Ian Herring, and an interview with Milano, will be distributed for free at the Archaia booth (#2229) at Comic-Con International in San Diego, Calif. (July 17-21).

About Archaia Entertainment, LLC
Archaia is a multi-award-winning graphic novel publisher with more than 75 renowned publishing brands, including such domestic and international hits as Mouse Guard, Rust, Cow Boy, Cursed Pirate Girl, Gunnerkrigg Court, and Artesia. Archaia has also published an entire line of graphic novels in partnership with The Jim Henson Company, including the multiple award-winning Jim Henson’sTale of Sand and such beloved tales as The Dark Crystal, The Storyteller, and Fraggle Rock. Alongside these celebrated titles, Archaia has released English translations of numerous renowned foreign titles to much fanfare, including The Killer, Sergio Toppi’s Sharaz-De, and The Secret History.

In 2012, Archaia was honored with six Harvey Award nominations, two Harvey Awards, six Eisner nominations, and three Eisner Awards (Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand won for Best Graphic Album–New, Best Penciller/Inker, and Best Publication Design). Also in 2012, Archaia earned both Gold and Silver awards from ForeWord Reviews. Archaia was honored with nine 2011 Eisner Awards nominations and two Eisner Awards for Best Graphic Album and Best Anthology.

In addition to its partnership with The Jim Henson Company, Archaia has forged creative partnerships with storytellers in all facets of the entertainment industry, resulting in print and digital expansions of such noted properties as Bleedout and HAWKEN (video games), Immortals and Planet of the Apes (film), and Space: 1999 (television).

Archaia has built an unparalleled reputation within the creator community for producing meaningful, transformative content, building one of the industry’s most visually stunning and eclectic slates of graphic novels.

In June 2013, Archaia was acquired by BOOM! Studios. Founded by Ross Richie in 2005, Diamond Gem Award-winning “Best Publisher” BOOM! Studios (boom-studios.com) generates a constellation of best-selling Eisner and Harvey Award-winning original and licensed comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent.